Basketball toy



Dec. 26, 1950 c. OCZKOWSK] BASKETBALL TbY Filed June 11, 194'? Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BASKETBALL TOY Constantine L. Oczkowski, Chicago, 111.

Application June 11, 1947, Serial No. 753,884

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to basket-ball toys and has for its main object the provision of a toy having a comparatively simple mechanism for propelling a ball or any other missile.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision, in a toy of the character indicated, of a missile propelling member of selective leverage for adapting the same to any particular ball or any particular mallet with which said member is actuated for propelling the missile.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a missile propelling device with a basket in cooperation therewith whereby a player may use his skill for propelling a missile, such as a ball, in such a manner a to attempt to have the missile fall into and be caught by the basket.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevational view of the present device; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, partly in elevation, on a vertical plane.

Referring in detail to the present drawing there is shown base It, to the upper face of which housing, including side wall II and top wall I2, is afiixed thereto. Positioned within said housing and in a longitudinal and central relation with base If] and wall I2 is lever !3, which, intermediately of its ends, is fulcrumed upon pin I4, the latter being embedded by its ends within side wall II. Said lever is set upon said pin it in a pivotal relation and in the proximity of said top wall I2. Rigidly afiixed to one end of said lever I3 is lug I5 which extends from said lever I3 in an upward direction and enters aperture It made in said top wall I 2. Aflixed to the opposite end of said lever I3 is a plurality of pegs I1, arranged in a longitudinal relation with said lever I3. Said pegs I1 extend through the alined apertures made in said top wall I2, the free upper ends of said pegs I'I extending above the upper face of said top wall I2.

Extended by its lower end through said top wa l l2 and base I0, and in a frictional engagement therewith is post I8 which may be of any desired length.

Coacting with the upper end of said post I8 is yoke i9 which supports wire or fabric basket as. Said yoke 59 is provided with loop 2I which is insertable upon post I8 in a frictional relation therewith for supporting said yoke I9 and basket 2@ upon said post l8.

When ball 22, or any other suitable missile is placed within the upper end of aperture I6, and in a contact with the free end of lug I5, and thereupon force at one of pegs I7 is applied in a downward direction, lug I5 will be caused to strike ball 22 for driving the same in an upward direction. Thus, said ball 22 wi l be propelled towards and within yoke I9, with good chances that it would fall into basket 20 during its descent. The upward shifting movement of lever 53 in either direction is of course limited by said. top wall I2. Therefore, when one of pegs i! is struck by a mallet or any suitable instrument, the opposite end of said lever I3 is abruptly stopped in its further upward shifting movement as it suddenly comes in contact with top wall I2. This action of lever I3 imparts considerable force and momentum to ball 22.

The plurality of pegs I1 is for the purpose of regulating the leverage of lever l3. When the outermost peg ii, that is the one which is in the nearest proximity to the adjacent free end of lever I3, is hit, the greatest degree of leverage of lever i3 will be utilized for propelling ball 22 with a greater force. Which of the several pegs H is to be selected for actuating lever I3 will also depend upon the weight of the instrument with which the peg is hit. This of course will also depend on the weight of ball 22 and the distance to which it is desired to propel the same.

Yoke IS with its loop 2| may of course be shifted longitudinally of post l8 for regulating the distance between wall I2 and basket 20. Therefore, there is a correlation between the leverage of lever 53, the force with which one of pegs I1 is hit, the weight of ball 22 as well as the distance of basket 20 from wall !2. When the player properly evaluates these factors and makes use of them his chances of propelling the missile in such a manner as to having the same drop into basket 26 will be greatly enhanced. Thus, the toy lends itself for use as a game of skill.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed:

What I claim as new is:

A toy of the class described comprising a housing including a top wall, a lever pivotally supported therebelow, a lug rigidly affixed to one end of said lever, said top wall being provided with apertures therein, said lug entering and being normally retained in the lower portion of one of said apertures, the upper unfilled portion of said aperture providing a space for the reception of a missile, and a plurality of pegs rigidly affixed to said lever adjacent the opposite end thereof and extending through the apertures provided in said top wall, the apertures in said top wall being positioned to cooperate with the lug and pegs to maintain the lever substantially in its normal longitudinal alignment in said housing, said pegs being adapted to be hit selectively one at a time for predetermining the leverage of said lever and the striking force of said lug at the missile.

CONSTANTINE L. OCZKOWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lexow Nov. 24, 1908 McGrath et al Nov. 10, 19 4 Buck Nov. 5, 1918 Bach et a1 Mar. 4, 1919 Moore Feb. 10, 1925 Krause Dec. 1, 1925 McGrath Feb. 9, 1926 Forry July 3, 1928 Payne July 24, 1928 Connor May 2, 1933 Manassero Sept. 19, 1933 Goldstein et a1 July 9, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1894 Great Britain 1906 Great Britain July 28, 1921 

